Sussex pig

Sussex pig

See also:

Sussex pig - 9" (228 mm) long. 1940s.

The name 'Rye Pottery' can be applied to ceramics produced in the small
Sussex town of Rye and the surrounding area.

Pottery has been produced in Rye since mediaeval times, but what is now
known as Rye pottery was started at Cadborough near the end of the eighteenth
century. Cadborough established the design that is now recognized as traditional
for Rye pottery - applied sprigs of hops and hop leaves on pots made from
local clay with a lead glaze.

In the second half of the nineteenth century the Bellevue Pottery opened
In Rye, and by 1890 the Cadborough Pottery had run out of family members
to keep it going, and was swallowed by the thriving Bellvue Pottery. Bellvue
was run by Frederick Mitchell until his death in 1875 and by his wife, Caroline,
until Frederick Thomas Mitchell, their son, took over in the last decade
of the nineteenth century.

After the turn of the nineteenth century the company ventured into more
ambitious styles, including lustre glazes.

A business card from the early 1930s

By the 20's and 30s they were producing the Jazz and Deco designs that
were popular at the time. The pottery was owned by Edith Mitchell, Frederick's
widow, from 1920 to 1930 and by Ella Mills from then to the outbreak of
the second World War. During the tenure of these two ladies the pottery's
name changed several times, being variously known as Rye Art Pottery, Sussex
Art Pottery, Sussex Rustic Ware and Sussex Art Ware. After the outbreak
of the Second World War the pottery had to close down due to wartime restrictions
on kilns being fired during the hours of darkness.

After the war the premises were bought by two young sculptors - the brothers
Wally and Jack Cole, who renamed the company 'Rye Pottery'. They moved away
from the traditional designs and produced high quality majolica in the styles
of the fifties. They trained many apprentices, and most of them eventually
left to set up their own potteries in Rye. At one time there were no less
than eight individual potteries in the tiny town, making it an important
centre for the trade.

One of those apprentices, David Sharp
(b1932-d1993), was to become a leading figure with a large following of
collectors. He made very varied and original designs, some of which were
quite controversial. The David Sharp
Pottery continues today, run by his family and making good pieces in
interesting designs. A well known activity of the pottery is the making of
number or name plaques for houses, usually circular or oval, that are a
distinctive feature of most of the houses in Rye and are shipped to all
corners of the world.

Denis Townsend is also an ex-Rye
Pottery apprentice. He is know for work of very high quality, and his company, Iden Pottery, produced domestic wares
for some of the most select retailers throughout the world.

There is an active collectors' club devoted to Rye Pottery - The Potteries
of Rye Society. If you are interested in joining, call Barry Buckton
on +44 (0)1233 647898, or contact us at the Pottery
Studio and we will pass your details on to Barry.

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